Motion Center Toronto: May 24, 2011

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The findings and recommendations of the report "Creative Capital Gains: An Action Plan for Toronto" were endorsed by Toronto City Council today. A detailed implementation plan emanating from this report will be presented to the Economic Development Committee later this year.

This report is the result of the efforts of the Creative Capital Initiative, which was formed in 2011 to provide expert advice and recommendations to update the City's 2003 Culture Plan for the current term of Council.

"We believe that the recommendations and action plan can help strengthen Toronto's economy and enhance our competitive advantage on the world stage," Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic Development Committee, stated in the report. "Culture is an economic catalyst we can and must maximize for the benefit of all our communities."

The report identifies areas for new and renewed investment and support by the City of Toronto, along with 33 action recommendations that will assist in achieving the goals. The focus areas include:

• Ensuring a supply of affordable, sustainable cultural space
• Ensuring access and opportunity for cultural participation to all citizens, regardless of age, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, geography or socioeconomic status
• Supporting the development of creative clusters and emerging cultural scenes to capitalize on their potential as generators of jobs and economic growth
• Promoting Toronto's cultural institutions, festivals and other assets to enhance the city's position as a Creative City regionally, nationally and internationally
• Keeping pace with international competitors by making a firm commitment to sustain Toronto's cultural sector and position Toronto as a leading, globally competitive Creative Capital.

The initiative's co-chair, Robert Foster, Chief Executive Officer of Capital Canada, commented on the consultations and the findings of the report: "The initiative process demonstrated how Toronto's cultural, government and business sectors reinforce one another. This report provides a blueprint for maximizing the financial, creative and social capital of these sectors through the services, convening power and investments of the City of Toronto."

The initiative, created by Councillor Thompson and guided by the volunteer efforts of cultural and business leaders, engaged in 13 public consultations with almost 500 members of Toronto's arts, culture and business communities. To access an online copy of the complete report, visit http://www.livewithculture.ca/creative-capital-initiative/an-action-plan-for-toronto/.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Pottery Road closed until September for road work

Pottery Road from Bayview Avenue to Broadview Avenue will be closed from May 24 to September 5 to complete a series of road, sidewalk and watermain improvements.

The work to be performed includes road reconstruction, with curbs, guiderails and retaining walls on Pottery Road, as well as a new sidewalk, watermain replacement, storm water upgrades, improvements to the Lower Don bike trail crossing at Pottery Road, and the relocation of various utilities.

"The City of Toronto continues to co-ordinate important road work with utility companies and other agencies to ensure that we keep disruptions to a minimum," said Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34, Don Valley East), Chair of the City's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.

During the closure there will be no through traffic on Pottery Road. However, local business access to Pottery Road will be maintained - with access provided from only one end of Pottery Road, either from Bayview Avenue or Broadview Avenue, depending on construction activities at different times.

Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Progreso Port of Entry Arrest Man Wanted as an Attempted Homicide Suspect

Progreso, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Progreso Port of Entry came in contact with a man wanted on outstanding warrants as a suspect in an attempted murder in Monterey County in California.

On May 16, 2011 CBP officers working the primary lane at the Progreso International Bridge encountered a man identified as Nestor Gomez Pineda, 19, a U.S. citizen and resident of Salinas, California. Checks of a CBP database by a primary CBP officer resulted in Gomez Pineda being escorted to secondary for verification of outstanding arrest warrants as a suspect in an attempted homicide in Monterey County, California. At secondary, CBP officers verified the outstanding warrants on Nestor Gomez Pineda. CBP officers arrested Gomez Pineda and subsequently turned him over to the custody of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Nestor Gomez Pineda remains incarcerated pending extradition to California.

“This wanted fugitive was stopped at the border by our vigilant CBP officers and will face pending attempted murder charges in California. This is an outstanding arrest as our officers continue to protect our nation’s borders," said Juan Contreras, CBP Acting Port Director, Progreso Port of Entry.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

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Calif. CBP Catches Wanted Fugitive

San Diego, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers performing outbound operations at the San Ysidro port of entry Tuesday caught a fugitive with an active homicide warrant attempting to head south to Mexico, with ten rounds of handgun ammunition in his luggage.

On May 17, at about 5:30 p.m, CBP officers performing inspections at the San Ysidro port of entry along Interstate 5 southbound stopped a commercial bus bound for Mexico.

CBP officers asked a man, later identified as Gilberto Valdovinos Medina, Jr., for identification, but he stated he did not have any. CBP officers inspected his luggage and found six .38 rounds of ammunition and four 9mm rounds.

Using fingerprint identification, CBP officers confirmed the man’s identity, and found an active warrant for homicide, issued at the request of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office in Washington State, and set with $1 million bail.

According to the Grant County Sheriff, the suspect, who also goes by the aliases “Diablo” and “Pedro,” is suspected of a deadly drive-by shooting that took place in Moses Lake, Washington, in April of this year.

Please follow the links for press releases on the shooting, issued by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. ( Release 1 ) ( Release 2 ) ( Release 3 )

CBP officers took the 22-year-old U.S. citizen, and resident of Moses Lake, Washington, into custody to await extradition to Washington State.

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Philadelphia CBP Seize $40K in Undeclared Currency

Photo Credit DHSPhiladelphia – CBP officers seized $40,100 Tuesday from a Cameroon citizen who arrived to Philadelphia International Airport from Belgium and who repeatedly failed to comply with federal currency reporting requirements. click for hi-res CBP officers discover $30,000 dollars in U.S. bills concealed inside magazine. The passenger repeatedly declared possessing only $10,100, and produced an envelope that contained $10,000, and he pulled a $100 bill from his pants pocket. Officers discovered an additional $30,000 in bills concealed between the pages of a catalogue in a sealed manila envelope packed in the passenger’s luggage. There is no limit to how much currency travelers can import or export; however 31 U.S.C. 5316 requires travelers to declare amounts exceeding $10,000 in U.S. dollars or equivalent foreign currency.“Travelers who deliberately refuse to comply with federal currency reporting requirements run the risk of losing their currency, and may potentially face criminal charges. The easiest way to hold on to your currency is to report it,” said Allan Martocci, CBP Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. Officers seized the combined amount of $40,100, and then released $500 to the passenger for humanitarian purposes. They also advised the passenger on the process to petition for his currency.CBP routinely conducts random currency compliance inspections of inbound and outbound travelers. Travelers are encouraged visit CBP’s Travel website to learn rules governing travel to and from the U.S. ( Travel ) U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds

Calif. U.S. Border Patrol Agents Interdict Drug Smuggling Attempts(Wednesday, May 18, 2011) contacts for this news releaseCampo, Calif. — U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested seven men in two separate incidents in Campo and seized nearly 600 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $349,000. The most recent incident occurred yesterday morning when Border Patrol agents detected several individuals with backpacks walking north from the U.S./ Mexico border through the brush. Agents responded, intercepting six individuals and discovered six backpacks hidden in the surrounding areas. The backpacks contained 27 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 337 pounds with an estimated street value of $202,000. The men, later identified as Mexican nationals illegally in the country, were taken into Border Patrol custody. An earlier incident occurred Friday morning when Border Patrol agents working near the international border in Campo observed four individuals carrying large backpacks. Agents observed the subjects attempting to conceal the backpacks in the surrounding brush. Agents arrived in the area and conducted a search and encountered one male Mexican national and found four large backpacks. The three additional suspects absconded from the area and returned to Mexico. The backpacks contained 20 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 245 pounds with an estimated street value of $147,000. The seven suspected smugglers and the marijuana were taken into custody and were turned over to a multi-agency drug task force. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today proposed significant enhancements to the administration of the USCIS Immigrant Investor Program, commonly referred to as the EB-5 Program—transforming the intake and review process for immigrant investors as part of the Obama administration’s continued commitment to improve the legal immigration system and meet our economic and national security needs for the 21st century.Read the News Release